Asked to sum up the season, Xavier coach Chris Mack called it ?a great ride with the group of kids that we have in our locker room.?

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It was a difficult and at times gratifying season for a Xavier men's basketball team that possessed moxie and chemistry but lacked the depth and talent of some of its predecessors.

The season came to a halt Sunday night when the Musketeers were excluded from the NCAA tournament and National Invitation Tournament fields. It was the final chapter for a team that started its campaign with just eight scholarship players and finished with a 17-14 record (9-7 Atlantic 10).

Xavier relied on hustle and heart to upend teams like then-No. 19 Memphis and No. 16 Saint Louis in overtime. But it also ...